Denny Doherty of the Mamas and the Papas has died in Toronto following kidney problems.
66 year old Doherty was the main male voice of The Mamas & The Papas, the 60s pop quartet which also featured Mama Cass Elliott, John Phillips and Michelle Phillips.Mama Cass died in 1974 of a heart attack at the age of 30. John Phillips died in 2001, aged 65.
The Mamas and the Papas formed in New York in 1964 and relocated to California in late 1965 where they became a staple of the California sound. After signing to Lou Adler's Dunhill label, the band released their debut single, the now classic 'California Dreamin'.
Their hits included 'Monday Monday', 'Creeque Alley', 'Dream A Little Dream For Me', 'I Saw Her Again', 'Look Through My Window' and 'Dedicated To The One I Love'.
It ended as fast as it began for The Mamas and the Papas, just two and a half years from fame to oblivion. They faded away at the turn of the 70s. Mama Cass was the first to go solo, but a disastrous Vegas residency suffocated her solo career. Her tragic death in 1974 finalized the band.
In 2003, Doherty was the co-author of the off-Broadway musical 'Dream A Little Dream: The Mamas and The Papas Musical'.
Doherty was married twice and is survived by his three children John, Emberly and Jessica, as well as his three sisters and his brother. Both of his wives are deceased.
